Talking-machine.



No. 834,511.- PATENTED OCT. 30, 1906. 'I l J. G'. ENGLISH. TALKING-MACHINE.

APPI'JOATIOI FILED 10V. 12, 1904. l

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

W I T ESSES I NV EN TOR BY Mau.

No. 834,511. l PATENTED 0CT..30, A1906. J. G. ENGLISH. TALKING MACHINE.

LrrLIoATIoN rILnnxov. 12. 1904.

" 2 sums-snm 2.

WITNEssEs.- l INVENTOR .Am-M- www MM TTORNE Y;

www/1 Vm j UNITED sTArEPi/irnnfg OFFICE.

JOHN C. ENGLISHQOF CAMDEJ,

NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO VICTOR TALKlNG MACHINE-COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

i TALKING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented oct. 30,1906.

Application filed November 12. 1904. Serial 110.232,38?.

disclosure.

The object of my invention is to provide such a construction in connection with talking-machines or other similar sound recording and reproducing machines that the soundbox will at all times in traversing the grooves of the record -be held accurately in such a position that the plane of the stylus or needle will be substantially tangent to the direction ofrotation of a turn-table, and, therefore, tan ent to the turns of the record-groove.

eretofore in talking-machines the arm which supports the reproducing mechanism has usually been pivotedv upon a vertical pivot, which causes the sound-box to swing in the arc of a circle about said pivot, and as the proper line on which the sound-box and needle should move in traversing a record of the disk'type is` a radius or straight line toward the center of the record it is evident that the stylus ofthe sound-box or reproducer in such former constructions would be in a plane tangent to the record-grooves at oint in its movement across'the record. his relation between the stylus or needle and the record-grooves seems to interfere somewhat with anV accurate reproduction ofthe sounds .recorded on the record, especially at the beginning and ending of the record, becausethe stylus-bar was not actuated in a direction exactly at right angles to the plane of the diaphragm.

My invention has substantially overcome this difiiculty, and by its use the stylus is forced to move in substantially a straight line across the face of the record, said straight line being a radius, while at the same time the plane o f the needle or stylus, as well as the Vsound-box diaphragm, are substantially in planes tangent to the record-groove on the radius referred to. g

Briey, my invention comprises an arm for supporting the reproducing mechanism which is composed of two parts jointed or` pivoted together, the sound-box also being pivoted in relation to the parts of said supporting-arm, and also means forconnecting the sound-box with a fixed point, so that said sound-box is held accurately and firmly in its correct position' while traversing the entire width of the record.

For a full, clear, and exact description of one embodiment of my invention reference may be had to the followingspecification and to the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof, in which Figure 1 is aside elevation of a 'talking-machine, showing my iinproved device in use in connection therewith. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the supportingarm detached from the other parts of the machine and showing the manner of joining the.

ysections of said arm. Fig. 4 is a detailed plan view of the saine, and Fig. 5 is a sectional view showingv the manner of forming the joint between the sound-box and the supporting-arm.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 indicates a 'casing for the talking-machine lmotor, above which is revolubly carried the turn-table 2, adapted to receive the'usual disk-record '3.l At one side of the casing 1 is fixed an upwardly-extending arm or bracket 4, which has a horizontal tubular portion 5 connected therewith, andy also a vertical tubuiar portion 6, recessed, as at 6.', to receive the amplifying-horn 7, which is provided with a flanged end 7', adapted' to be seated in the said recess 6. A oke or plate 28, secured to the upper end o the vertical tubular portion 6,' embraces the upper surface of the fiange 7 and, holding the horn in position within said recess 6, ermits the horn to be swung horizontally a out the upper end of said bracket 4.

The supporting-arm I for the reproducer consists primarily of two hollow sections or tubes 8 and 9, which are jointed, as at 10, by means of two cylindrical boxes or casings 11 and 12, the first of which, 11, is open at its lower end and the latter of which is open. at

IOO

The inner end of the bushing 15 is provided limits. The outer end of the tubular part 8 is preferably provided with a slightly-enlarged rectangular ortion 19, which has an opening in one o the vertical sides thereof. Within this opening 20 is pivoted a short 4 tube 21, which is provided on its inner end with a spherical ortion 22, through the verti'calaxis of Whic passes' a pivot-pin 23, said pivot-pin also entering the' wall or side of the rectangular end 19 of the tubular part 8. The sound ox or reproducer 24 is firmly attached to the short tube 21 in any suitable manner'.

As means for giving the-sound-box a positive horizontal movement in a direction transverse to its axis and to hold the same in the correct position in relation to the recordgroove I provide a link 25, which is pivoted' at one end to a fixed point, preferably on the stationary cylindrical portion 12 of the tubular part 9, as indicated at 2'6, and at itsother end is pivotally attachedI to a .short stud 27,projecting downwardly from 3o* the sound-box tube 21.

, The positions of the pivot-screw 26 andthe stud 27 in relationto the pivots 1:4 and 23 are'such as to-form substantially ay parallelogra'rn and to give a motion to the tube 22 similar to that produced in the instrument known' as the pantograph However, the relation between the pivot just mentioned is not exactly a parallelogr'am, for it will be seen that ifsu'ch were the case the sound-box and stylus carried thereby would still move in the arc of a circle about the pivot 14. These pivots are therefore arranged in such a manner and the parallelogram is distorted to suchI an extent as to produce a slight inward transverse'movement of the'stud 27 and the tube 21, which compensates for the curvature due to the motion of the tubular part 8 inthe arc of a circle about the pivot 14. This `is accomplished by making the horizontal distance between the pivot-pinl 23 and the pivot-stud 27 slightlygreater than between the pivot-screws 14A and 26l and also by adjusting' the pivot-screw 26 in'- exactly the right position in relation to the pivot 14.-

It will now be seen that when the stylus of the sound-box is placed, as is usually done, at the outer end of the s irall groove on' the turn-table said rgroove W'il cause the soundbox to move inward toward:` the center'of the record as the record revolves, and such movement, as far as the'outer end8 ofthe supporting-arm is concerned, willbe about pivot 14; but by reason of the'i` act that the sound-box 24 is pivoted at 23v and also because the'tube 215 is rigidly connected with a stationary pivot 26 said sound-box and stylus or needle will be given just suiiicient motion in a direction toward the pivot 14 as to compensate for the curvature of the arc, which would otherwise be described about the pivot 14. At the same time, owing to the movement of the sound-box about the pivot 23, the plano of the needle, and consequently the plane of the diaphragm, is always kept tangent to the recor -groove at the oint of contact of the end of stylus with saidp groove.

When it is desired to remove a needle from the stylus-bar or replace one there, the tubular part 9 may be rotated upon its axis within the sleeve 15, and the tubular part 8 Will thereby be allowed to swing upwardly instead of horizontally. This will present the end of-the stylus-bar in a convenient position to have a needle inserted or removed. The rotary motion of the tubular part 9 upon its axis is limited by a pin 18` in a direction when the sound-box is moved downwardl aswell as when raised. The sleeve 15is ma( e to t snugly within the tubular rojection 5, but is removable therefrom, so that the same may be withdrawn longitudinally and the whole reproducing-arm disconnected from the bracket 4. l

Having thusv described one embodiment of my invention, it willI be seen that various changes may be made in the form, arrangement, and proportion of parts without eparting Jfrom t e spirit and scope of my invention, and it will be obvious that the means'for giving the correct motion to the sound-box may be ap lied' to supportingarmswhich are not holiibw, aswell asl to the tubular sound-conveyin arm; but

What I claim, and desire to' protect by Letters Patent ofthe UnitedStates, is-

1. In a talking-machine, the combination with a reproducer and4 pivot'cd reproducerarm swinging in aI plane parallel to the face of the record, of means for keeping the stylus of said reproducer substantially tangent with the record-groove as the said reproducer moves across the record'.

2. In a talking-machine, the combination With a re reducer, of a' swinging reproducerarm to w ich said reproducer is pivot-ed, and means for moving said' reproducerv about its pivot soa-s tokeep tlieplane of its stylus substantially tangent to the record-groove'as the reproducer moves a'cross the record.

3. In aI talking-machine, the combina-tion with a reproducer, of a jointedreproducerar'm having the'reproducer pivotedl adjacent the end thereof?, and' means for moving said reproducer upon its pivot soI that the plane of its stylus is maintained substantially tangent with the record-groove' as the reproucer moves across the record.

4. In a talking-machine, the' combination with ax reprod'u'cer, of a swinging reproducerarm' having th'er'eproducer pivoted adjacent IOO TIO

the end thereof, and ineans'connecting said reproduoer with a fixed point for moving said reproducer upon its 4pivotso that the. plane of its stylus is maintained substantially tangent with the record-groove as the reproducer moves across the record.

5. ln talking-machine, the combination with a reproducer, of a pivoted reprodiicerarm having the reproducer pivoted adjacent the end thereof, means pivotally connected with the reproducer and with a fixed point adjacent the end of the pivot of said reproducer-arm for moving said reproducer about its pivot, so that the plane of its stylus is maintained substantially tangent with the record-groove as the reproducer moves across the record. i

6. In a talking-machine, the combination with a reproducer, of a reproducer-arm, a portion of which is fixed and a portion of which is pivoted with the first-named portion, the pivoted portion of said arm having the reproducer pivoted adjacent the end thereof, and means connecting said reproducer and the fixed portion of said arm for moving said reproducer upon its pivot so that the plane of its stylus is maintained substantially tangent with the record-groove as the reproducer moves across the record.

y 7. In a talking-machine, the combination with a reproducer, of a hollow pivoted tube upon which said reproducer is pivotally mounted, said reproducer having a passage fwxmniunicating with the interior of said arm, "e d means for moving said reproducer upon ts pivot so that the plane of its stylus is aintained substantially tangent with the cordgroove as the reproducer moves across the record. t

8. In a talking-machine, with a reproducer, of a hollow jointed reproducer-arm, one portion of which is fixed 1n a suitable support, the free end of said arm having the sound-box pivotally connected with the end thereof, and having a passage communicating with the interior of said arm, and means for moving said reproducer upon its pivot, so that the Iplane of its stylus is maintained substantially tangent with the record-groove as the reproducer moves across the record.

9. In a talking-machine, the combination with a reproducer having a short tube connected therewith, of a hollow swinging reproducer-arm havin f said tube pivoted adjacent the end thereof, said tube having communication with the interior of said arm, and means pivotally attached to said tube, and to a fixed point for moving said reproducer about the pivot of said tube, so that the plane of its stylus is maintained substantially tangent with the record-groove as the reproducer moves across the record.

10. In a talking-iiiachine, the combination with a reproducer, of a short tube attached thereto, of a hollow jointed reproducer-arin having said tube pivoted adjacent the end thereof and having connminication with said tube, and a link connect-ing said tube with the stationary portion oll said hollow arm adjacent the axis of said joint for moving said reproducer upon its pivot, so that the plane of its stylus is maintained substantially tangent with the record-groove ducer moves across the record.

11. In atalking-mach;ne, the combination .with a ieproducer, of a hollow reproduceraim, comprising two parts, the adjacent ends of said parts terni inating in hollow cylindrical boxes having corresponding op en ends, one of the parts of said arm having the reproducer pivotally connected therewith, and lowing the interior thereof in communication with thc interior of the sound-chamber of the reproducer, and means connecting said soundbox with one of said cylindrical casings for moving the reproduce-.r upon its pivot so that the plane of its stylus is maintained substantially tangent with the record-groove as the reproducer moves across the record.

12. In a talking-machine, the combination with a reproducer, of a hollow jointed reproducer-arm, a bushing surrounding one of the parts of said arm, rigid supporting means inclosing said bushing, and a stop, the parts of which are carried respectively by said arm and said bushing for limiting the rotary movenient of said arm upon its axis.

13. In a talking-machine, the combination with a reproducer, of a hollowv reproducerarm having a joint. therein, a fixed support for one part of said jointed arm, a lateral opening adjacent the free end of said arm, a short tube having a spherical end pivoted in said opening, said tube being adapted to carry the reproducer upon its opposite end, and means connecting said tube with the stationary portion of said arm for moving said reproducer upon its pivot7 so that the plane of its stylus is maintained substantially tangent with the record -groove as the reproducer moves across the record.

14. In a talking-machinathe combination with a reproducer, of a pivoted reproducerarm, a support pivoted'to said arm to which the reproducer is attached, and a connection between said support and a fixed point, the relation between the pivot of said arm,- the pivot of said support, and the endsof said connection forming substantially a parallelogram, so that said reproducer is maintained substantially tangent with the record-groove as the reproducer moves across the record.

15. In a talking-machine, the combination with a reproducer, of a hollow pivoted. reproducer-arm, a short tube pivoted adjacent the free end of said arm, and having communicaltion with the interior thereof, the reproducer being carried on `the outer endl of said tube,

as the repro- IOO IIO

and a link pivoted at one end of said tube, and at its other end to a fixed point adjacent the pivot of said hollow arm, the relative positions between said pivots and the pivoted ends of said link being substantially at the corners of a parallelogram, the outer end of which is slightly greater than the inner end so that said reproducer is maintained substantially tangent with the record-groove as the reproducer moves across the record.

16. In a talking-machine, the combination With a reproducer-arm and a bushing surrounding one end of said arm, of aiixed support having a tubular por tion with which said bushing is adapted to telescope, and a second tubular portion communicating with the first, the end of said second tubular portion being recessed to receive and'cornmunicate with the end of the amplifying-horn and means for securing said horn within said recess.

17. `In a talking-machine, the combination with a hollow reproducer-arm,of a iixed support having a tubular extension, a bushing carried by one of the parts of said arm, and within which said arm is rotatably mounted, said bushing being adapted to tightly fit within said tubular projection, an amplifyinghorn, and a second tubular projection cornmunicating with the first and adapted to hold and communicate with the end of said amplifying-horn.

18. In a talking-machine, the combination with a swinging or pivotally-mounted reproducer-arm and its coacting pivotally-mounted record-propelled sound-box, of means for guiding the stylus in a radial path across the record-surface.

19. In a talking-machine, the combination of a sound-box carrier, comprising a rigid arm or bracket, an auxiliary arm pivotally attached to one end of said rigid arm, a soundbox pivotally mounted upon the outer end of said auxiliary arm, and a rod or link connected atits outer end with said sound-box, and at its inner end pivotally secured to said carrier near the pivotal point of the auxiliary arm but eccentric thereto.

20. In a talking-machine, the combination of a sound-box carrier, comprising a rigid hollow arm or bracket, an auxiliary hollow arm pivotally attached at one end to said rigid arm, and having communication therewith, a sound-box pivotally mounted upon the outer end of said auxiliary arm, and having coinniunication therewith, and a rod or link connected at its -outer end with said sound-box, and at its inner end pivotally secured to said carrier near the pivotal point of sai d auxiliary arm but eccentric thereto.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 10th day of November, 1904.

JOHN o. ENGLISH.

Witnesses:

JOHN F. GRADY, HARRY COBB KENNEDY. 

